Writer-In-Progress

There are so many cool things in the writing process that get me excited (easy feat, I’ve been told). When an idea comes together, when a query snaps along, when an editor loves an idea and asks for more, more, more….

 

and when the contract comes.

 

There’s something satisfying about the contract that puts the whole process in stone for me. I’ve sold to small ezines and small magazines that don’t offer contracts but do offer some small token of payment…maybe $5, maybe $10, but they let you keep all your rights for those two paragraphs. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that either–those little gems are the ones you can sell and resell, marketing your name and writing talent while picking up a little more dough along the way.

 

But there’s something I just really dig about signing a contract and faxing it back. I received mine from the RWR yesterday afternoon. Didn’t have a chance to fax it back yet but it’s #1 on my to-do list. Surprised it didn’t take more rights, but that’s a good thing…resell potential along with tweaking ideas for targeting the same idea to a new publication in the future.

 

And the note from the editor was nice too. She told me I’ll love the layout and that she can’t wait for me to see it. Of course I will. It’s one of the plusses of freelance vs. fiction publishing–I don’t get bad covers …lol…

 

So now the funnest (yes, it’s a word) part of the entire writing process is about to come to fruition….getting the magazine with my article inside….

 

Back to writing….

 

Beth

The more I think about it, the more freelancing seems the smart choice. I just got two new market leads today in my mailbox at school that sound viable. Ideas are hounding me around every corner–so how about I just shake up my entire world and vision of myself (you know, the one sitting at the table eating chocolate, drinking champagne and smiling coyly as Barry Manilow asks me to sign ‘just one more’ of my romance novels for him?) and dive headfirst into freelancing?

 

They’re still words, I’m still published and forces outside myself seem to think I”m good at it.

 

We’ll see. Fleshing out ideas tonight.

 

Beth

Just finished reading an interesting book for a book review column I write each month for a writing ezine.

 

While I had to read it twice for it to stick, there’s lots of good advice in it for thinking of your plots and scenes in a different way. I always think reading books on plotting will help my plotting–and they would, if only I would finish writing the damn story in the first place.

 

The book is Martha Alderson’s Blockbuster Plots: Pure & Simple. She gives two charts for us visual learners out there–a scene tracker and a plot planner. The plot planner is pretty similar to the “W” plotting chart, something I’m intimately familiar with thanks to my Serious Writing friend (and now Golden Heart winner–WOOOO HOOOO!!) Donna, so I didn’t figure I”d learn much.

 

Of course I did. I learn more when I think I don’t have anything to learn. Weird how that works.

 

Anyway, the scene tracker is a really cool tool I’m thinking of trying on the first scene of the third draft of the last short story I finished. Starting little is nothing to sneeze at when some people can’t start at all If so, I’ll let you know how it goes.

 

Not sure I want to venture back into ficiton, anyway. Still debating the merits of sticking to nonfiction for a while. Found two new, really cool freelance markets yesterday and already have two articles outlined. Starting back to school this afternoon, so I’m trying to not load up the plate **too** much.

 

Oh, and if you’re interested, I’ll post the review link when it comes out (for Blockbuster Plots). It’s the writer2writer.com ezine–good stuff Cheryl puts out each month–sign up for free on her site.

 

Back to writing….

Beth

So for those who’ve missed the last month or so of my writing life (myself included)…

 

I sent off the article on male-female speech patterns to the editor on July 15th. Not due til August 5th, but I left on July 20th to volunteer for two weeks working at a summer camp for diabetic teenagers (the best part of my summer.)

 

Hoped the editor would hold off to making any changes til after August 7th, since we moved to a new house on the 5th. (What can I say? Even summer time spent not teaching is insane in my life).

 

The bad news? I couldn’t check email til the 5th.

 

The good news? She loved the article! The only thing she requested after I sent it was my bio-byline (which I’d conveniently forgotten because I hate writing those things). Sent it off maybe two weeks ago and am looking forward to it coming out in October (the last date the editor mentioned) issue (which normally comes out in September.

 

So I’m holding my breath til the RWR (Romance Writer’s Report) shows up in my mailbox (I did change my address with them, didn’t I?).

 

I could have mentioned the name of the magazine sooner (or maybe I did and forgot, who knows?) but I’m terribly superstitious about things like that.

 

I’d sound pretty stupid to say I didn’t do it for the money (not much–flat fee) but there have to be a few of you in the audience who secretly get an unbelievable thrill you can’t get from anything else in life when you get that magazine (or book cover or article, etc.) with your name on it. Ain’t nothing sweeter, I’ll tell you. Except maybe booksignings, but I haven’t made it there yet.

 

Which brings me to the thought of the week (ok, month) I’ve been grappling with…since it seems my nonfiction is meeting with more favor publishing-wise than my fiction, should I just throw in the fiction towel and concentrate on non-fiction? Maybe get my schedule to resemble that of a freelancer, with lots and lots of deadlines spaced over the next twelve months to the point that I don’t feel guilty not working on the fiction? Or just keep trying to maintain that happy fiction/nonfiction balance? Fiction in the mornings (soon to be back at 4:30 am) and nonfiction after I come home?

 

Anyone have a crystal ball or magic 8 Ball I can consult? I’ll pay…..

 

Get back to the writing!

Beth